Transcript No Slide Title

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Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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• Cannot draw lines of
fellowship narrower OR
wider than God has!
• All matters of liberty or
indifference emanates from
authority.
Don McClain
• Must recognize the need to
abide in the doctrine of
Christ which includes proper
attitudes.
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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• "In matters of faith, unity;
In matters of judgment,
liberty; In all things,
charity.“
Don McClain
• BUT
- For
today:
"In
matters
of many
faith, LIBERTY;
In matters of judgment,
liberty; In all things,
TOLERANCE.“ (except for
those who oppose this
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
motto)
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• Has been grossly abused
by those who are
teaching or defending
error . . .
• Tolerance and
Forbearance for brethren
who differ with one
another in matters of
indifference to God . . .
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Any Attempt to Put
Sinful Doctrine or
Practices into
Romans 14
• Violates the Context
• Puts God in Fellowship with
Sin
• Brings Sin into the Church
Don McClain
• Provides Basis for OpenW. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
Ended Fellowship with Sin
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The Text • Matters Clean, Good, Pure v.
14, 16, 20
Immediate Context
Attempts to put
sin in the text
violates Text
and Context:
Don McClain
• Rom. 6:1,6,7, 10, 12, 13, 19,
22
• Rom. 7:3
• Rom. 8:6-8
• Rom. 13:11-14 (no moral
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
sins)
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Distant Context
• Gal. 5:19-21 (works of the
flesh)
• Col. 3:5-11 (put to death)
• Eph. 5:13-14 (reprove)
Attempts to put
sin in the text
violates Text
and Context:
Don McClain
• 2 Jn 9-11 (no fellowship with
sin)
• 2 Cor. 6:14 (unequal yoking)
St. churchNo
of Christ - 8/21/2005
There ShouldW. 65th
Be
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• Matters of Indifference are those beliefs or
practices which are not specifically regulated by
Scripture:
• They are things that are neither commanded nor
forbidden, - 1 Cor. 9:5
• They are things that are authorized and allowed
– Rom 14:5,6, (Matters Clean, Good, Pure v. 14, 16,
20)
• To engage in an authorized liberty one is neither
the better or worse - 1 Cor. 8:8
65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
• Just because a thing is an authorizedW.liberty
Don McClain
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Romans 14:1-3 (NKJV)
Receive one who is weak in
the faith, but not to disputes
over doubtful things. [2] For one
believes he may eat all things,
but he who is weak eats only
vegetables. [3] Let not him who
eats despise him who does not
eat, and let not him who does
not eat judge him who eats; for
God has received him.
Weak:
Uninformed,
unable to practice,
poor
understanding,
doing it not to the
Lord, convinced in
own mind, gives
God thanks.
Danger: Judge his
brother, violate his
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14:1-3 (NKJV)
Receive one who is weak in
the faith, but not to disputes
over doubtful things. [2] For one
believes he may eat all things,
but he who is weak eats only
vegetables. [3] Let not him who
eats despise him who does not
eat, and let not him who does
not eat judge him who eats; for
God has received him.
Don McClain
Strong:
Informed, able to
practice, right
understanding,
doing it to the Lord,
convinced in own
mind, gives God
thanks.
Danger: Cause
weak to stumble;
set brother at
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14:1 (NKJV)
Receive one who is
weak in the faith, but not
to disputes over doubtful
things.
Don McClain
Doubtful . . .
Διαλογισμός - dialogismos
Thayer Definition:
1) the thinking of a man
deliberating with himself
1a) a thought, inward
reasoning
1b) purpose, design
2) a deliberating, questioning
about what is true
2a) hesitation, doubting
2b) disputing, arguing
Vines: <N 1261,dialogismos>
expresses reasoning or questioning
hesitation, 1Ti_2:8.
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14:1 (NASB-U)
Now accept the one
who is weak in faith, but
not for the purpose of
passing judgment on his
opinions.
Don McClain
Disputing. . .
Διάκρισις - diakrisis
Thayer Definition:
1) a distinguishing,
discerning, judging
• The strong were not to
judge the weak brother
as being unworthy of
fellowship because of
their lack of
understanding regarding
matters that were
indifferent to God.
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14:1 (NASB-U)
Now accept the one
who is weak in faith, but
not for the purpose of
passing judgment on his
opinions.
Don McClain
• One's mistaken concept of
what is included in "The
Faith" does not change a
matter of indifference into
"The Faith.”
• We must come to the
absolute certainty in our
mind that a thing is a matter
of faith, and this certainty
must be the result of an
objective and diligent study
of God’s word.
• God has not left "The Faith"
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
in Doubt: (Eph. 3:4; 2 Tim.
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Romans 14:23 (NKJV)
But he who doubts is
condemned if he eats,
because he does not eat
from faith; for whatever
is not from faith is sin.
• Do not condemn another
based on your lack of
understanding – (bind where
God did not). (3,4)
• Be fully convinced (5)
• To practice or not is your
choice, but whether you do or
not – make sure it is for the
purpose of serving the Lord (6)
• All will stand before the Lord,
He is the judge (7-13)
• Nothing is unclean in itself
(14,20)
• Pursue peace (19)
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14:1 (NASB-U)
Now accept the one
who is weak in faith, but
not for the purpose of
passing judgment on his
opinions.
• Do not judge i.e. condemn the
weak brother because of his
lack of understanding. (1,13)
• Do not despise. (3)
• What you do – make sure you
are convinced it is right & do it
to the Lord - You will give
account to God (5-12)
• Not to put a stumbling block in
your brothers way – (13,21,22)
• Not to destroy your brother
with your food (15,16)
• Pursue peace – teaching the
weak brother the truth – (19)
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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•
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•
•
•
•
•
Don McClain
MDR
Drinking Modern
Alcohol
Immodest dress
Gambling
Idolatry
Observing holidays
religiously
Traditions as doctrine
Circumcision
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Don McClain
Different Races
Different Cultures
Different family history
Different educational
backgrounds
Different religious
backgrounds
Different professions
Different knowledge
Different abilities
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Eating of meats
Observing holidays nonreligiously
Family customs
Marriage
Women wearing pants
Women working
Bible classes
# of cups
Circumcision
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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1 Cor. 1:10 (NKJV)
Now I plead with you, brethren, by the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you
all speak the same thing, and that there
be no divisions among you, but that
you be perfectly joined together in the
same mind and in the same judgment.
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Romans 14
1 Thes 5:14; Jude 22; Mat 18
"Receive"
"Have no fellowship“ Eph 5:11
Pure, Clean, Good
Sinful, Violation of God's will
God accepts both - (Practitioner,
Non-practitioner)
God does not accept
2 Cor 6:14-18
Continue in Practice
Cannot Continue Rom 6:1, 15
Keep "faith" to Self
Preach The Faith Gal 1:23
Do Not Contend
Contend - Jude 3
Continue In Fellowship
Withdraw Fellowship -2 Thes 3:8
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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• Cannot draw lines of
fellowship narrower OR
wider than God has!
• All matters of liberty or
indifference emanates from
authority.
Don McClain
• Must recognize the need to
abide in the doctrine of
Christ which includes proper
attitudes.
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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• "In matters of faith, unity; In
matters of judgment, liberty;
In all things, charity.“
• Tolerance and Forbearance
for brethren who differ with
one another in matters of
indifference to God . . .
• No Tolerance for Sin - "Not
for an hour" (Gal. 2:4-5)
Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005
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Don McClain
W. 65th St. church of Christ - 8/21/2005